Friday, September 23, 2016

My Row by Row Experience continues. I may regret this, but I am assembling the rows, but not machine stitching the appliques. I am afraid this will be a long tedious process. For now I am having fun creating.

I know I mentioned that I don't follow directions. I have found it impossible not to make changes here and there in the various rows. I nearly threw out the baby with the bath water when it came to the Dry Ridge Quilt Row. Here is their pattern.

Row by Row Pattern

Here is the problem. I already have two other rows that spell out home. Do I need a third? Don't think so. My dad was from Dry Ridge and I want this to be special. It's not doing it for me. Sooo, I decided to make some changes. First I shrunk Kentucky, put a heart over Dry Ridge. Then I enlarged and moved out the house.

Kentucky, the Heart of it all.

Funky Home Sweet Kentucky Home

I still needed to balance out the row, so I created some woods to represent the Appalachian Trail and Daniel Boone Forest.

I've discovered that I do better if I just freehand my trees, branches, etc. So I just backed a piece of green and brown with fusible and cut away. I am happy with the results, as I like a more free flowing form than something structured. I plan to stitch the green down with a variegated thread to add texture.

Row by Row my style

The second row I completed was from FabricShack in Waynesville, OH. I have to admit I pretty much followed the directions. Again rather than trace leaves and branches I freelanced. Just fusing and cutting shapes as I went along. This block will need extra details added. I was worried about this one, but do like how it turned out. I still may add more branches and leaves above the birds. I am waiting until it's stitched to decide.

Lots of details to be added when the applique is stitched down, especially on the birds

My final Row to report on is from Apron Strings Quilt Shop in Maysville, KY. I had a fun trip there and decided to purchase the kit. I had never done English Paper Piecing. I am hooked. Last week I was hospitalized for treatment for my Myeloma. This was a project I was able to do while there. I felt I accomplished something, rather than sitting around. I only had to do the Dresden Plate when I returned home. I'm planning to make Christmas wreaths and trees during my next stay.(Need to do something to keep my sanity). I can even use my GoBaby to make the kits.

As you can see I have not sewn the squares together. I think I will probably make this a vertical row, rather than horizontal as shown here.

So that's my progress so far. I have saved what I think is going to be the most difficult Row for last. I also am designing a row for Our Sunset Place, our favorite home away from home on Lake Erie. But that is a story for another post.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Wow, I can't believe it been nearly a month since my last post. Time has flown by and I have been busy. I pushed myself to finish the Cathedral Stars quilt. It's quilted and bound. I am satisfied with the end results. There are some seams that do not match up, but since it is so scrappy it does not show. I love the red and purple ladder blocks and feel they really add a zing to the quilt.

Cathedral Stars-Bonnie Hunter Pattern

For now my obsession with partial seam blocks has been satisfied. I completed two Christmas quilts and one queen size using my blue stash. The blue quilt still has to be quilted.But my Christmas quilts are quilted, bound and labeled. I fell in love with this bunny fabric and one quilt is built around that fabric. I've also completed a red, white and green Christmas quilt for my daughter. I quilted these with a panto called ribbons.

Fabrics mostly from stash

I fell in love with this fabric.

Christmas Hearth

Detail of Christmas Hearth

Fabric I auditioned for my daughter's quilt (some of them anyway)

Two other Christmas quilts have been completed. One for my eldest son. It is called Winter Tumbler. I also used the ribbon design for the quilting for this quilt. It is not too dense and almost looks like the wind blowing across the quilt.

Winter Tumbler

And finally finished the winter quilt for my youngest son.

detail of quilting, I've already forgotten the name of the panto I used.

Both of these quilts have flannel back so they will be nice and cozy this winter. So done at last. I'm feeling relieved that my Christmas projects are completed.

That leaves the Row by Row. We've made trips to Maysville and Dry Ridge, KY. We have been to Waynesville and Goshen Ohio.
I've collected my eight patterns. Now I have only to finish the rows. It
appears that will be a challenge. This appliqué is not my cup of tea. For now I am doing the rows, row by row, but not
stitching the applique down. I'm only ironing them in place. I do have
two new Rows done (with exception of stitching the appliques in place). One is paper pieced.
They are from Loveland, Ohio and Sanibel Island.FL.

Loveland Quilt Studio and Crazy Ladies @ Sanibel Island,

I am currently working (getting started) on the row from Dry Ridge, KY. We had a cool weekend, and I used that time to work in the garden and begin the process of getting it cleared and cleaned out for winter. There was a wonderful breeze and beautiful skies. I don't remember what kind of clouds these are, but I thought they where beautiful.

Hope everyone has a wonderful week. Hopefully I have a few more rows to share at my next posting. I don't believe in UFO's, so I think I have quite a task ahead of me. God willing I'll be able to get them done.